BULLDOGFOGG Posted 4 September , 2005 Share Posted 4 September , 2005 D Bty 83 Bde RFA were overrun near Benay on 21st Mar 18. Does anyone know which German units were involved in this action ?? Regards Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Sheldon Posted 6 September , 2005 Share Posted 6 September , 2005 Kevin This place was within in the boundaries of IV Reserve Corps, (Gen Conta) which attacked on the left flank of Eighteenth Army (Gen Hutier) It had three divisions, from north to south 34th (Gen Tetzmann), 37th (Gen Eberhardt) and 103rd (Gen Lepper). The attacks were pushed in a distinctly south to southwesterly direction, which saw the 103rd actually attack the fort at Vendeuil. This means that Benay was probably assaulted by units of 34th Division. I have the regimental histories for the 103rd, but wouldn't you know it, not for the 34th or 37th. I do have one decription which suggests that the unit involved was one of Infanterie Regiments 30, 67 or 145. Sorry I can't pin it down more closely. I suggest you re-post asking if anyone has access to those three histories. In the meantime here is an extract from Der Tag X by Gustav Goes, Kolk, Berlin 1933 pp 60-61. 'Already the forward movement seemed to be stalling, but then Major Barth, Regimental Commander of the 30th, pulled together elements of Harney's battalion, led them round to the rear of the enemy and stormed into the tangle of branches to which the wood had been reduced, allowing Haupt's battalion to seize the wood. The regiment pursued the British who fled wildly until, as a result of a further flare up of fighting, it went into positions that evening to the west of Benay. The Koenig Infanterie Regiment 145 from Metz, which had been picking its way through the fog also assaulted the eastern part of Limpey Forest, intermingled with elements of the 67th from Magdeburg. Curtains of machine gun fire cracked through the air above the heads of the attackers, as they worked their way upwards through the mud and general morass to the dominating wood. After hand to hand fighting with rifle butts, the wood was captured. The regiment on the left, the 67th, were the first there with small groups, then the 1st Battalion of the Koenig Regiment under Hauptmann Messow launched themselves at the village. The rolling barrage was far away. Sun burnt down on the backs of necks, and glinted off the steel helmets. The Hauptmann led his men from the front. British machine gun fire became ever more fierce. From trench to trench, from crater to crater, the steel-helmeted figures sprang forward. In amongst the wrecked houses and heaps of stones, on over charred beams and fences. Hundreds of weapons poured cross fire from cellars, loopholes and windows. The Hauptmann charged on. Where is he? Over there! I've just seen him, - but now nobody is quite sure. Everyone hurls themselves forward. Benay is taken! And as for Hauptmann Messow? He has been cut down in the victory charge and many brave men with him. Oberstleutnant von Huth reorganises his battalion on the far side of Benay. Defensive fire for Benay is in the hands of Field Artillery Regiment 70 from Metz, which has been called forward under Major von der Planitz and the heavy [guns] of [Foot Artillery] Battalion 6. The 67th from Magdeburg who also had their garrison in Metz, enveloped Benay on the left and the daring Reserve Leutnant Roeskens made such a deep penetration into the British with his little band, that they could not even pause for breath before the village was taken. Schubert's regiment in the meantime had been fighting hard amongst the nests of resistance at La Folie and Puisieux, closing right up to the British and fighting them hand to hand. Reserve Leutnant Wiemerslage's grenade launchers did sterling work, forcing 46 Tommies to surrender after a few grenades had been fired. The one-armed Oberleutnant Doll led his 2nd Battery Field Artillery Regiment 70 forward and poured fire with deadly accuracy right into the nests. A battery firing canister rounds was stormed, leaving heaps of British dead. Hand grenades thrown by Vizefeldwebel Zimmermann and his comrades overpowered two groups of British soldiers, first sixty, then another forty, who made their way to the rear. The battalions of Banck, Gentsch and Kallweit stayed hard on the heels of the withdrawing enemy. By evening Major Schubert's regiment was located southeast of Benay.' Despite the breathless writing, which is like something out of a war comic, it gives a slight impression of the day. Possibly the battery mentioned is the one you are looking for. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BULLDOGFOGG Posted 18 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 18 September , 2005 Jack This is great info, thank you very much. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon1906 Posted 5 January , 2019 Share Posted 5 January , 2019 I've been reading more about Oberleutnant Doll recently, and wonder if anyone might be able to help with a question. His full name was Goswin Doll, born 14/11/1890. He survived the war, but curiously he died soon afterward in Grodno, which is in modern day Belarus, near the Polish border on 4/3/1919. He wasn't from that area... he was born at St Goar on the Rhine. So ... what was going on that took him there, to his death. I've found a small amount of info concerning the Russian Civil War, and apparently some German favored separatist Belorussian government that was active in Grodno in April of 1919. That's all I've got. Anyone got any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 5 January , 2019 Share Posted 5 January , 2019 He died indeed as a member of Freiwillige Feldartillerie-Artillerie-Abteilung 12 in Grodno. Germany was active semi-officially in the Baltic area with troops for some time after November 1918, mainly fighting Red Armies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon1906 Posted 6 January , 2019 Share Posted 6 January , 2019 (edited) On 04/01/2019 at 23:40, AOK4 said: He died indeed as a member of Freiwillige Feldartillerie-Artillerie-Abteilung 12 in Grodno. Germany was active semi-officially in the Baltic area with troops for some time after November 1918, mainly fighting Red Armies. That's great info AOK! Thank you so much. Do you mind if I ask where this info came from? I'd like to read more about it. I'll keep plugging away at it in the meantime. Immediate result (only Wiki but it's a start): "On March 3, 1919 the German and Latvian forces commenced a counterattack against the Red Latvian Riflemen." So ... maybe a casualty in this offensive. I'll keep looking. Edited 6 January , 2019 by Jon1906 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 6 January , 2019 Share Posted 6 January , 2019 It comes from the official list of German officers and the list of the fallen Prussian officers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon1906 Posted 6 January , 2019 Share Posted 6 January , 2019 (edited) Meine Sendung in Finnland und im Baltikum, by Goltz, Rudiger, Graf von der Goltz describes the German offensive pushing into Latvia starting March 3rd. He describes his Operation Tauwetter "Thaw". In this offensive he talks about a battle that goes back and forth from March 3rd to March 5th. I assume this is where Doll dies. Edited 7 January , 2019 by Jon1906 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 7 January , 2019 Share Posted 7 January , 2019 He wasn't KIA (gefallen), but he died (gestorben) according to the lists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon1906 Posted 7 January , 2019 Share Posted 7 January , 2019 Interesting. A pity there's no more information. Maybe a victim of the flu? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now